It is Veterans Day. A sacred day in the history of America. I acknowledge that as I have in many blogs of the past, but today I beg an indulgence.
I've just returned from a profound experience in Kenya, Africa and I cannot dismiss my recent images. I’ve tried to let go of the images, but this post will be yet another one of memory, influence, and emotion from my experience. I was with the CMMB executive staff and members of the Board of Director’s visit to the lesser parts of life in Nairobi and rural Kenya.
CMMB’s global influence is extensive. Check out their website at www.CMMB.org.
The images are like an addiction that begs my return to them over and over again and it leaves me unsatisfied.
The real is worse. The images return at inopportune moments. Mostly when I’m dining. Often when I'm asleep and always when I see what I have.
How many of us have ever seen an open sewer sliding by our front door? How many of us would even tolerate that experience with our children, our loved ones, our parents our neighbors. We, in the experienced nations of the world would revolt, we would move en mass to cleaner places, to breathable air, to hopeful opportunities.
Why don’t the millions in the slums leave or a least try too? From my observation, and granted it is very limited observation, few have ever experienced a better life-style or have the money and therefore they remain in a condition they see as normal. I don’t know if that is true for all, but it seems to be for the many-few who rarely leave the slums.
Some do leave for daily jobs in the mercantile city and they return at the end of the day to a life different than what they observe in the “have-world.”
Where do I go with these thoughts? Nowhere! I leave them open, without conclusion for they are sores on the humanity of life. They are the raw wounds of incomplete compassion and they are the elegance of what all of us could be if we let go of the belief that being safe is having more and that stuff is suffocating and separations of culture, religions and geography is truly an illusion.
3 comments:
I remember reading somewhere that a new home in a better area costs around $4,000 in that region of the world, and the average person would need an income of $4 per day to support themselves in better surroundings, if they were to relocate. A hand up to those that are receptive seems a duty. As with so many complex problems, it is difficult to see a simple solution and know how to get here from there. Because of the Internet now tho, we can connect, inform, and support one another in new ways and turning our backs is no longer easy or acceptable. Thanks for being our eyes and ears. Bless the CMMB, too. You might have an interest in groups like these as well . Let's review more closely over kale and tea sometime. Love to you and yours, SD
hmm I just noticed your blog deletes links embedded in comments. My post made more sense with the links. LOL What lame brain provides your tech support? tsk ;-)
It is very sad to see another human suffering....I wish they would at least put wood planks down so they would have some sort of walkway....they have a lot of trees I am sure. The filth is what spreads diesease and then the medical people have to help them. The least their government could do is try to keep their areas clean......this is worse for them then living in the jungle...at least there they can live cleaner, hunt,eat better and probably enjoy it better. I know I would!!! To be surrounded by those that "have" cannot lift these people out or up; they do not have the means with which to start. They and generations before them have grown accustomed to this lifestyle; they really don't know any better or how to go about getting it, so they just live, work and enjoy in their own way their own lives.
God Bless all that in our eyes suffer in this manner and thank God for all the people who do and can help...
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